Fabric



Feb. 1, 1938.l B. COBB 2,106,794

FABRIC Filed April l2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Il l Feb. 1, 1938. B. COBB 2,106,794

FABRIC 4 Filed April 12, '-1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l MW?? Patented Feb. 1, 1938 PATENT OFFICE FABRIC Houghton Cobb, Hewlett, N. Y., assigner to The Esrnond Mills, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 12, 1934, Serial No. 720,261

Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in patterned fabrics.

While certain features of my invention may be employed with any type of fabric, my invention 5 is especially designed for and adapted for use in making patterned blanket fabrics of the type adapted to be napped. Hitherto in the manufacture of blankets in which it has been desired to have a colored pattern, it has been necessary to yarn dye one or more of the sets of yarns employed, namely, either for the ground or for the pattern. This has necessitated having on hand a large assortment of yarns. For, not only has the manufacturer to supply dierent colors, but often as many as ve or siX shades of each color. Thus, say that he uses seven primary colors, he would need yarn not only for the seven primary colors, but for the five or six desired variations of shades thereof and it will be necessary for him to stock for instance thiry-ve or fortytwo different kinds of yarns. In addition to this as it takes a considerable amount of time to weave, nap and finish a blanket he would have to weave up so as to have on hand forty-two types of blankets and thus tie up a large amount of his capital not only in the yarns of the desired shades, but also in the completed blankets or fabrics of the desired pattern and shade.

A -main object of my invention is to largely eliminatethe tying up of so much capital in stock and to achieve this, I employ what I belive is a new principle in shade matching.

This new method or principle includes the method of matching colors in yarns or fabrics comprising fibres of different species, which comprises making up a standard color bath from a standard formula and varying the percentages of the different species of fibres in said yarn or fabric to match a shade when said yarn or fabric is dyed in said color bath. Hitherto in dyeing, the shades have been matched either by varying the amount of dyestuffs orother chemicals employed in the bath, or Where in matching a color it is necessary to use different dyestuffs, varying the proportions and amounts of the different dyestuffs used. So far as I am aware no one has conceived of the idea of working out a standard de sired formula for dyeing any particular color and matching a desired relative shade or tint thereof by varying the percentages of the different species of fibres in the yarn or fabric desired to be dyed and later dyeing the fibres with a suitable dye for one specific set of fibres so that the shade will be varied in proportion to the amount of that specific type of fibre in the yarn or fabric, Thus yarn with 40% wool or one fibre and 60% cotton or other fibre, for a pastel shade another yarn with 20% wool or one fibre and 80% cotton or other fibre and where it would be desired .to have an undyed material in the background or pattern another yarn with no wool or one bre and yl5 l of cotton or other different species of fibre which the specific dye employed would not Vcolor. Then ve or six species of blankets or fabrics of similar pattern, with similar pattern forming portions formed of yarns of said different dye receptive ,20 yarn sets would be weven. Then when an order for any one of these different shades was vreceived for any particular color the fabric having the desired proportion of yarn in the pattern forming threads would be dyed with a standard formula 25 to match the desired shade to complete the order. It thus becomes necessary to stock instead .of thirty-five different kinds of yarns or fabrics only five and when an order is received vthe fabric can be readily top .dyed with the standard formula to `30 dye the respective pattern forming threads the desired shade depending on the proportion of the different species of fibres in the specific pattern forming threads of the blanket selected. Thus the color or shade is matched by the selection of the 35 material in the respective yarns in the blanket ork fabric instead of by the selection vof the materials in the dye or bath.

It will be apparent from the abovedescription that instead of yarn dyeing and stocking a large 40 number of colors and shades of yarn, the fabric is woven gray and the entire fabric piece or Ytop dyed, a much less expensive .method than the detailed method of individually dyeing the different threads asin yarn dyeing. 45

A novel variation of my process would include weaving a fabric having pattern `forming yarns made up of different relative percentages of fibres so that when the fabric is piece dyed the respective pattern forming yarns will be dyed shades Varying 50 in proportion to the percentages of different species of fibres in the respective yarns, thus producing beautiful rainbow or ombre effects in a single piece of fabric when dyed from a single dye in a single dye bath. Hitherto in order to 55 ielfect. `fibres in the threads different colors, it is obvious produce such a fabric it has been necessary to individually dye all of varying tints or shades of yarn.

Insofar as the broad principle of my invention is concerned, the threads may be made up of different kinds or species of yarns, such as all Wool or all cotton, or any desired mixtures thereof to produce the varying shades or tints. Thus in weaving a simple pattern the ground could be made of cotton to remain undyed when treated with an acid or wool color and the pattern made of Wool to receive the acid or wool color to dye the pattern only, or if desired to match shades according to the aforedescribed broad principle of my invention, each thread of the respective pattern forming threads which it is desired to dye different shades or tints may be all made up of different mixtures of different species of fibres in proportions varying in proportion to the tint or color desired.

l It is also apparent that if desired after the wool or other fibres have been treated with the Iproper dyestuff to dye them the desired shade, the respective cotton or other species of fibres in the respective yarns may be again piece or top dyed with a suitable color which will not affect the Wool or other previously dyed fibres to dye the cotton or other species of fibres in said yarns varying shades or tints in proportion to the amount of cotton or other species of fibres in said threads. Thus pretty speckled effects can be'produced by dyeing the different species of bres vinthe same threads or yarn different colors, a feature hitherto unknown in fabrics of this description, particularly where such fabrics have been top or piece dyed to produce this Thus by dyeing the different species of that all sorts of beautiful rainbow tints and Vshades can be produced and the diversity of shades in an ombre pattern can be correspondingly increased. I believe therefore that I provide a principle of matching of colors by applying the principle of blending species of fibres thereto, which While often employed in the coffee and whiskey industry to vary the taste, has

so far as I am aware never been employed in the color matching industry to produce all sorts of desirable blends or shades of color. As stated hitherto, while my invention may be employed for any type of fabric, it is particularly adapted for use in the manufacture of blanket fabrics,

'particularly of the type of blanket fabric, consisting of relatively light warp threads and two sets of relatively heavy filling threads tied in at intervals by the warp threads, woven one substantially over the other to conceal the Warp `threads to form the face and reverse of said fabric with the threads of one set only appearing at a time respectively on the face and reverse of said fabric to form the reverse respective pattern and ground therein, the threads of each set appearing through alternate respective distances complementally over and under said Warp threads to form the patterned face with the threads of one set forming the ground and the v threads of the other set forming the pattern and vthe reverse having a complementally reverse pattern the threads of the second set forming the ground and the threads of the rst set forming the pattern as is common in figured blankets ltoday. I'he Weaving of these structures is inherently more diicult and complicated than the weaving of simple textile fabrics and takes a correspondingly longer time, as the :fabric its-elf must contain enough body to be particularly Warm. Thus in the manufacture of such a blanket fabric one of the sets of filling threads may consist of fibres of one species and the other of fibres of a different species and when woven into piece goods and these are piece dyed with a dye capable of dyeing one set of fibres only, it is obvious that these will be dyed in a manner to form a pattern on the face of the fabric and a reverse pattern on the reverse of the fabric. Instead of making the threads of each individual set of filling threads entirely out of one species of bre they may be made in a manner heretofore described out of a mixture of different percentages of species of libres to produce varying tints of color when dyed in a dye bath with a standard formula.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. l is `a plan View of a portion of a napped blanket employing the principles of my invention and showing how my invention may be employed in making a fancy figure in a blanket.

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan Views of simliar types of napped blankets with the pattern forming threads in Fig. 2 consisting of 80% of wool and 20% of cotton and in Fig. 3 of 20% wool and 80% of cotton to produce when dyed from the same standard formula a blue substantially onequarter as deep as that produced in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2a is a sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 2 showing a standard type of unnapped grey blanket fabric construction employed in making the blanket shown in Fig. 2 and illustrating how this standard type of blanket construction is particularly adapted for use with my invention.

Figs. Ll, 5, and 6 are enlarged diagrammatic plan views of a fabric treated in accordance with my invention in which stripes consisting of two adjacent threads are formed therein, the uppertwo threads consisting in each instance of 160% Wool and no cotton, the next two threads '75% wool and 25% cotton, the next two threads consisting of 50% wool and 50% cotton, the next two threads consisting of 25% Wool and 75% cotton and the neXt two threads consisting of 0% wool and 100% cotton, the woolen fibres being diagrammatically shown in longitudinal lines and the cotton libres being diagrammatically shown in diagonal lines.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of said fabric in the grey state.

Fig. 5 is a plan of said fabric after it has been top dyed with a red wool dye, the intensity of the dye varying in proportion to the amount of wool in the respective threads as shown.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the fabric shown in Fig. 5 after it is again top dyed to color the cotton green with the upper threads red, the lower threads green and the intermediate threads red-l .f

dish green tints varying in proportion to the amount of the respective cotton and wool nbres in the respective threads.

Fig. 4a is an edge View of the fabric shown in Fig.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 respectively are plan views of unnapped fabrics each made up of two of the designs shown in Figs. fi, 5, and 6 respectively and similarly successively dyed and treated to produce the varying shades or blends of colcrs'75 Yat intervals as at y20 by the warpthreads.

`and reverse of the fabric.

Fig. rlOis adiagrammatic-sectional view of the I fabric shown in Fig. 7, after it has been napped.

`In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference-indicate like parts throughout, l0 generally indicates a fabric constructed in accordance with my invention. I have shown in Figs.

"l, 2, and 3 my invention applied to a napped 4patterned blanket fabric l2 for which it is particularly adapted. As shown in Fig. 2a this type of fabric is made up by employing relatively light Warpthreads i4 and two setsof relatively heavy lling threads E5 and i8 respectively ltied in These `threads l' and 1'8 are woven and beaten up to be substantially vover the other to conceal ythe .warp threads andto form the face and reverse of said fabric, so beaten up that the threads of one vset only appear at a tim-e respectively on the face The threads of each set appear as floats, (although in their floating they are tied in at various intervals) for alternate respective distances t2 and 2li complementally on the face and reverse of said fabric te provide it withthe patterned face 2t with the threads of `one set'forming the ground 28 and the threads ofthe vother set forming the pattern 35i and the reverse 32 having a ycoinplemental reverse pattern with -the threads of the second set forming vthe ground 34 and the threads of the first set -another setccnsisting of undyed iibres of a different kind'having dierent dye receiving properties as vthe diagrammatic diagonal shorter cotton threads 54 shown therein. I thus provide a fabric l0 comprising sets oi threads i6 and i8, cr 4G. 42,44, 4E, and '48 respectively of different fibres ordifferent percentage mixtures of different species of fibres having different dye recepn tive properties Woven so that one set of threads the cotton threads 43 in Fig. 5, or the vcotton -threads l-S in Fig. Zandt-he other set of threads may form at least part of the pattern, such as the wool threads I8 in Fig. 2, yor the dyed wool threadsAii-i in Fig. 5, or as shown more particularly in Figs. 4 9 a fabric consisting of warp threads I4 and a plurality of sets of pattern forming illing threads 40, d2, M, 45, and #t3 with at least two lof said sets of filling threads consisting of different percentage mixtures of different iibres each having different dye receptive properties. As shown in Figs. 4-6 the set of lling threads 40 consists of 100% wool and zero percent cotton, the set 42 75% wool and 25% cotton, the set 44 50% wool and 50% cotton, the set 56 25% wool and '75% cotton, the set :it zero percent wool and 100% cotton. In the two fabrics shown'in Figs. 2 and` 3, the pattern forming threads `I8 in Fig. 2 consist of-80% wool and 20% cotton respectively and the pattern forming threads i8 in Fig. 3 consist of 20% wool and of cotton. It is 'thus apparent that in one embodiment of my'invention different sets of threads .or yarn employed consist of blends of different species of fibres, each bre having different dye receptive properties.

I have shown in Fig. 1 a simulation of a Girl Scout shield,in which the ground-consists of green i. -wool vthreads and the ypatternconsists.of yellow cotton'threads piece dyedlin the :mannerhitherto described. So far as Iam aware a fabric formed of pattern forming threads comprisingblends :of two or more species of fibres, orpattern'forming threads consisting of sets of different blends vof diiierent dye receptive pattern forming species of fibres is new and constitutes a distinctive feature of my invention, the vgrey fabric shown in Fig. 4 being as much a part of my invention as the completed fabric shown in Fig. 6 and the method of piece dyeing it about to be described.

Anyone of the fabrics shown `may `then be pieceor top dyedwith adye suitable for dyeing one of these species of fibres in the respective `pattern forming threads, such as the wool fibres i3 shownin Figs. 2 and 3 or the wool iibresin the sets of threads respectively 1F45 shown in Fig. 4. A type of iibre dyeing dye `is employed which will preferably not affect the other species of iibres in the'blended threads or fabric. 'I'hus to dyethe ground of the Girl Scout'blanket shown in Fig. 1 a green to leave the cotton .white or yellow I employ Approximately two per-cent of Alizarine Cyanine Green G (Color Index No. 1078);

One-half percent of Sulphon Yellow .R (Color Index page 366; noColor Index number) Onequarter percent Acid Anthracene Red G (Color Index No. 443) dyed in a boiling acid bath with twenty percent Glaubers salt (NazSO/ilOHzO) and two percent acetic acid (HzCzH'sOz). If it is desired to top dye the cotton Ayellow without (in Color Index Supplement 1928, p. 44 called' Katanol W) and twenty percent common salt (NaCl).

As stated hitherto a vbasic feature of my invention consists in matching colors in'yarnthreads or fabrics, including yarns made up-of fibres of different species whichcomprises making up a color bath from a standard formula v and `varying the .different -species of fibres in said. yarns or fabrics to vmatch a shade `when said yarn or fabric is dyed in said color bath. '.lhusv to -dye .the wool vpattern yforming `threads i8 in Figs. 2 and 3 I employ: 4oneand a half percent of Wool Fast Blue GL (Color Index No. 833) Twenty percent Glaubers salts (NazSOilOHzO) crystals;

Two percent acetic aeid HzC2H2O2) 4much paler blue shade as shown therein will be produced-from the standard formula due to the fact that the threads i8 only contain 20% of wool libres. Thus the depthof Ithe blue shade is varied by varying 'the percentages of different species of iibres `in `the fabric, a feature, which .asexplained is believed to be new in fabrics of this description.

The goods are woven or fabricated in the manner hitherto described and then piece or top dyed to dye the pattern forming threads or the dye receptive fibres in the pattern forming threads only the desired color and degree of shade thereof, thus dyeing from a standard formula, namely,

one making up a bath of a suitable known dyeing strength for the goods to dye and matching the color by varying the percentage of different species of dye receptive fibres in the respective pattern forming threads. If as shown in Figs. 4-9 the percentage of different species of fibres in different sets of threads liti-48 in the same fabric is varied and the grey fabric shown in Fig. 4 is top or piece dyed in a bath containing three percent Acid Anthracene Red G. D (Color Index No. 443) twenty percent Glaubers salt (Na2SO410H2O crystals) two to four percent acetic acid (HzCzI-IaOz) for one and a half hours at 190 to 212 F. the wool fibres will be dyed red as shown in Figs. 5`and 8, the depth of the shade varying from a vpure white in the 100% cotton thread set 48 to a deep red in the 100% Wool set 40, the shade deepening from a pale to a deep red in the corresponding sets 4s, 44, and 42 up to the deep red shade in set 4). t is apparent then that this will leave the ground or set 48 white and the pattern forming sets 40-46 varying degrees of red, thus producing an ombre or rainbow effect.

To produce a great range of blends of color the fabric shown in Fig. 5 may then be top or piece dyed again as shown in Fig. 6 with a dye capable of dyeing the cotton fibres only with no effect on the wool. Thus to dye the cotton bres of Fig. 6 green approximately one percent Benzo Fast Blue 4GL (Color Index, page 343) will be mixed with one percent Chloramine Yellow FF (Color Index No. 814) two percent Katonal WL (in Coior Index Supplement 1928 p. 44 called Katonal W) twenty percent common salt (NaCl) and dyed at 100 to 120 F. for one hour and washed in cold water. This would dye the hitherto undyed cotton fibres in set 48 a deep green and dye the relative percentages of undyed cotton fibres in the sets 4'5, 44, and 42 respectively, varying percentages of green, the shade being dependent on the percentage of cotton fibres therein, thus ranging from a deep green in set 48 to a pale pastel green in set 42 as shown. It is thus obvious that both or all sets of species of fibres may be succ-essively dyed by piece dyeing the goods with a dye which will attack the respective species of bres only, to dye the respective species of fibres in each thread the desired shade, thus producing in each thread beautiful blends of colors hitherto unknown and producing particularly when napped as in a blanket beautiful blends of colors. It is thus obvious that I have also provided a novel type of yarn or yarn fabric portion of a predetermined standard shade comprising percentage mixtures of different species of fibres varied to match said standard shade. Thus as shown in Figs. 2 or 3 both samples are dyed from the same standard formula and the shades varied in proportion to the amount of the respective species of fibres in the respective pattern forming threads.

As stated hitherto my invention is particularly adapted for use in eliminating the large amounts of yarn and fabrics formerly thought necessary to carry in stock. As explained hitherto blanket weaving particularly is a slow and rather laborious type of heavy weaving. To make quick deliveries for blankets or any other type of fabric, it has been necessary to provide the desired X- number of colors times the desired Y-number oi shades thereof or XY colored yarns or XY co1-v ored fabrics, thus running the stock up into large proportions. Employing my invention, however, the yarns are woven in the piece and to produce the varying shades Y yarns of the different desired percentages of different species of fibres are made up and respectively woven into Y different similarly patterned fabrics. Thus when an order comes in, it is merely necessary to pick out the desired Y-shade of Y fabric and top or piece dye the fabric with the desired X-color to produce a blanket of the desired X color with the desired Y shade with a standard formula if desired. It is thus obvious that it is only necessary to stock Y different types of yarns or Y different types of fabrics any Y one of which may be readily dyed- When needed quickly into the desired X color of the desired Y shade. Thus the amount of stock both of yarn and/or fabric necessary to carry on hand is reduced by the number of X colors to Y species of grey yarn or fabrics capable of dyeing into different desired varying Y shades of the desired X color. It is apparent therefore that regardless of whether a certain shade or color of yarn is in stock or a certain shade or color of blanket is woven up, one may immedi-l ately take any Y-shade blanket fabric, quickly piece dye it with the desired X color in a standard formula to the desired predetermined shade when it may be ready for quick delivery after the order is received.

If desired fabrics having a single pattern forming color, such as those shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 may be employed, or fabrics having blends of color as shown in Figs. 4-9 may be employed and when the fabric shown in Figs. 4-9 is dyed in a bath having a standard formula it is obvious that the different sets of yarn comprising different percentage blends of different species of fibres will be correspondingly dyed different shades,

thus producing beautiful or different ombre effects or varying shades of a single color by a single dyeing in a one bath of a standard formula enabling in addition as hitherto described a quick delivery on order. The fabric may be piece or top dyed once or twice with dyes respectively` capable of dyeing the respective different bres in the blends in the threads in the fabric, thus a fabric as shown in Fig. 5 with a white ground and a red pattern may be produced, or a fabric such as shown in Fig. 6 with a green ground and aI red pattern. may be produced having intermediate blends of red and green in the intermediate sets of yarns 42-46.

It is apparent therefore, that I have provided not only a novel method of dyeing, but also af novel type of fabric in the gray form, and a novel type of piece dyed fabric and a novel method of making the same in a manner which will eliminate the large amount of the stock formerly thought necessary, in a manner to insure quick` delivery of any desired color or shade thereof or combinations of colors or shades thereof.

I employ the word pattern-forming threads to include threads which actually form the pattern or threads which actually form the ground as formation of the ground is an inherent part in the formation of the pattern.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specic embodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom with- ...75

out departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A patterned blanket fabric made of light warp threads, and two sets of relatively heavy filling threads tied in at intervals by the warp threads, woven one substantially over the other to conceal the warp threads and to form the face and reverse of said fabric with the threads of one set only appearing at a time respectively on the face and reverse of the fabric, the threads of both sets each appearing for alternate respective distances complementally to the other over and under said warp threads toform a patterned face with the threads of one set forming the ground and the threads of the other set forming the pattern and a reverse having a complemental reverse pattern with the threads of the second set forming the ground and the threads of the first set forming the pattern, each thread of one set being spun from one percentage mixture of cotton and wool fibres, said percentage mixture having certain dye receiving properties and each thread of the other set being spun from a different percentage mixture of cotton and wool fibres, said different percentage mixture having different dye receiving properties, whereby said fabric may be piece-dyed with a dye for each of said species of fibres to produce in the respective pattern and ground portions substantially standard shades of any two of a plurality of different colors.

2. A patterned blanket fabric made up of light warp threads, and two sets of relatively heavy filling threads tied in at intervals by the warp threads, woven one substantially over the other to conceal the warp threads and to form the face and reverse of said fabric with the threads of one set only appearing at a time respectively on the face and' reverse of the fabric, the threads of both sets each appearing for alternate respective distances complementally to the other over and under said warp threads to form a patterned face with the threads of one set forming the ground and the threads of the other set forming the pattern, and a reverse having a complemental reverse pattern with the threads of the second set forming the ground and the threads of the rst set forming the pattern, each thread of one set being spun from one percentage mixture of diifer'- ent species of fibres, said percentage' mixture having certain dye receiving properties and each thread of the other set being spun from a different percentage mixture of the same different species of fibres, said different percentage mix'- ture having different dye receiving properties, whereby said fabric may be piece-dyed with a dye for each of said species of fibres to produce in the respective pattern. and ground portions substantially standard shades of any two of a plurality of different colors.

3. A fabric comprising warp threads and a plurality of sets of undyed pattern-forming filling threads, at least two of said sets of filling threads each being spun from a different percentage mixture of a plurality of different species of fibres, said plurality of species being identical for the different sets, each species of fibre having different dye receptive properties and interwoven to produce upon dyeing a predetermined pattern, whereby when said fabric is piece-dyed with a dye suitable for dyeing one of said species of fibres, each of said sets of threads will take said dye in amo-untsproportionate to the amount of said species of fibres therein to produce varying shades of said dye-color in each respective set and when said fabric is again piece-dyed with a dye suitable for dyeing another of said species of fibres each of said sets of threads will take said last named dye in amounts proportionate to the amount of said other species of fibre therein to produce varying shades of said other dye color in each respective set to produce standard shades of any two of a plurality of different colors.

4. A fabric comprising warp threads and a plurality of sets of undyed pattern-forming lling threads, at least three of said sets of filling threads being each spun from a different percentage mixture of a plurality of diiferent species of iibres, said plurality of species being identical for the different sets, each species of fibre having different dye receptive properties and interwoven to produce upon dyeing a predetermined pattern, whereby when said fabric is dyed with a dye suitable for dyeing one of said species of fibres, each of said sets of threads will take said dye in amounts proportionate to the amount of said species of fibres therein toy produce varying shades of dye color in each respective set.

5. A fabric comprising warp threads and a plurality of sets of undyed pattern-forming filling threads, at least three of said sets of iilling threads being each spun from a different precentage mixture of a plurality of different species of fibres, said plurality of species being identical for the different sets, each species of fibre having different dye receptive properties and interwoven to produce upon dyeing a plurality of successive stripes of Variegated shades, whereby when said fabric is dyed with a dye suitable for dyeing one of said species of fibres, each of said sets of threads will take said dye in amounts proportionate to the amount of said species of fibres therein to produce varying shades of dye color in each respective set.

BOUGHTON COBB. 

